Port of Long Beach container throughput up 1.2 percent to 648,287 TEU in May of 2017

New vessel-sharing alliances and increased use of terminals pushed the number of containers flowing through the Port of Long Beach in May to a record high for the month.
 
A total of 648,287 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) moved through the harbor in May, an increase of 1.2 percent compared to the same month a year ago. May 2016 volume was the second-highest May in the Port’s history behind May 2006.
 
Last month, Long Beach dockworkers handled 336,594 import containers, a 1.8 percent increase. Export containers were down 14.3 percent to 118,786 TEUs, while empties rose 12.6 percent to 192,908. Overall, it was the best month since September 2015.
 
The National Retail Federation has forecast steady growth in imports during the next few months as the peak season begins. For the calendar year to date, cargo traffic has risen 4.1 percent in Long Beach.